Revenge Is So Sweet
by Dakota-Jones
Summary: Snyder was smiling as they carted him away. But why? Because he was already formulating his revenge. A revenge that the Manhattan newsies may not survive...* Completed! *
1. Plots

AN: This is going to be a very strange fic indeed, and for all you people who liked my other fic called 'Always Watching', you should like this one too. And visa versa. So hold on, cause I'm sendin' you readers on a roller coaster!

The first chapter is going to be from Snyder's (!!!) point of view, but then I'll switch from newsie to newsie with each chapter.

This is more like an intro than a chapter, cause it's really short but it's really essential…anyways…

Summary: All of us have noticed that Snyder was _grinning as the police cart pulled away with him inside. He was grinning because he had a dark plan of revenge that may cost the Manhattan newsies their lives…_

Snyder

            It was a hateful, burning anger. An anger the likes of which I'd never felt before, even when that Jacobs boy kicked me in the jaw. I couldn't contain it. I couldn't control it. And yet, in this dark and dreary prison cell, I had no outlet for it.

            That was why I asked that my letter be sent to Mr. Pulitzer. And that's why he was walking into this lowest of places, ready to hear me out on my idea. My brain-child of revenge. 

            "Well, Snyder, I can't stay long. So make your case." He said, removing the cigar from his mouth as the door to the interrogation room clicked shut behind him. 

            "I know you want revenge on those boys just as much as I do, probably more."

            "Most likely. And what did you have in mind?"

            I could see he was intrigued, and I could practically feel his anger radiating at the mention of his city wide loss and embarrassment. "I know a few people who are experts in the field of mental and physical torture. For a weekly fee they will make those boy's lives a living hell, and nothing will be traced back to you or me."

            "Interesting. Can they be trusted?"

            "Like I said, they're professionals."

            He hesitated, taking a long drag off of his cigar. "Very well. Who should I contact?"

            I told him the name. I told him the costs. And I loved every second of it.

            Those boys were going to pay. Slowly and painfully, they were going to pay.

AN: Haha, creepiness! And suspense! Keep reading, people!


	2. Pain and Threats

AN: Okay, time for the scariness to start! And remember, every time I write a story, I promise no permanent damage to our boys, and this one isn't any different. I always keep my promises. So all you people out there worried about your favorite newsie…I always fix things! Don't fall over in a dead faint!

Read and review for chapter 2! (Hey, that rhymes!)

Mush

            "Hey, Jack. You almost finished sellin'?"

            "Yeah. The headlines stink. I don't think I'm gonna sell no more. How'd ya sell all yours so fast?"

            "It's just actin'. I got da skills and you don't."

            "Yeah, whatever. You wish. Let's get to Tibby's."

            I walked alongside him silently as he sulked about the bad selling. The truth was, I had gotten frustrated and dumped the rest of mine in a dumpster. I wasn't about to tell him that, though. He was already egotistical enough as it was, and he didn't need a boost from me.

            We were taking the shortcut when it happened. We were jumped out of nowhere, and before I knew it I was fighting for my life. These guys were huge- had to be at least twice my size- and they were carrying all sorts of weapons.

            Then I noticed something that made my stomach flip. They weren't attacking Jack. They were ignoring him, rather.

            They were here for me.

            Jack tried to get them away from me, but soon one of them had me by the arms and the other by the legs. 

            "Jack! Go get help!" I screamed, trying to kick my way out of the man's grip but not having any luck. "Ya can't fight 'em alone!"

            He started to object, but quickly saw that I was right. He took off around the corner, since Tibby's was only just a block or so away. I struggled as hard as I could, but before I knew it they were tying me up. My wrists were soon bound behind my back and my ankles were tied together, and I had no chance of escape. I tried screaming for help, but that only resulted in me getting gagged.

            They carried me into a nearby building, then up about eleven flights of stairs, and out onto the roof. They dragged me to the edge, overlooking an empty alley.

            "Ever thought you could fly, kid?" One of them asked, his hoarse voice sending chills down my spine. He unsheathed a knife, dragging it down my cheek but not hard enough to break the skin. I tried to pull away from the cool metal, and he grabbed me by the hair, painfully dragging his nails across my head as he did so. "You's as pretty as a dove. I bet you could fly. Why don't we let you try?"

            The other bum grabbed my ankles as the first thug went for my arms, and suddenly I realized that they were actually going to do it. They were actually going to throw me off from eleven stories high. This couldn't be happening!

            They began swinging me back and forth, and then began a countdown.

            "3…2…1…"

            By this time I was sobbing, as much as possible with a gag in my mouth. And they did let go, but…on the _back_ swing. I landed and rolled on the rough concrete, my cry of pain muffled. The two men burst out laughing, and I was pulled to my feet again.

            "Did you really think we was gonna throw ya off? No…we's gonna have some fun first."

            Suddenly he punched me in the face- hard. I would've been on the ground, had it not been for his partner, who was holding me up. I could taste the blood in my mouth, and I could still feel the panic rising in me. Were they gonna kill me?

            I don't remember how long he beat me. By the third punch I could barely feel the pain. It was as if my mind had disconnected from my body, disconnected from the sharp pains and the dull, throbbing headache that had formed. I could see blood splattered all over the ground around me. Was it mine? Had to be. I wasn't exactly fighting back.

            You know how I said my mind was disconnected? Well, that changed in an instant when he let me fall back onto the ground, then kneeled beside me and began using his knife to pop the buttons off my shirt, one by one as he laughed. A whole new wave of resistance rose in me, and with what little strength I had, I began fighting back again.

            "Oh, so you ain't dead? Still got some fight in ya?" he said, opening my shirt and running a coarse, bloody hand down my bruised chest. Then, he took his knife and put it at my right shoulder, dragging it across my chest and leaving a thin, bloody trail all the way to my left side. Then he started at my left shoulder, doing the same until he had formed a huge 'X' across my chest in blood. I whimpered at the pain, and closed my eyes, hoping this was nothing but a nightmare. But his voice brought me back to reality as he tucked the blade into the top of my pants and stood up.

            "That's my claim on you. That 'X' is always gonna be there, so you don't forget either. I'll see ya later…or I'll see one of your friends later…"

            He motioned to his fellow thug, and they left. Just like that. They left me sobbing, bruised, beaten, and bloodied on the rooftop of a building. _At least it's July and you won't freeze to death, I thought, the optimism in me coming out once more._

            I struggled with the ropes at first, but not for long. It was futile. I would starve up here, or worse, the heat of the sun would kill me. It was already burning my arms, which were pressed onto the sun-heated concrete. Maybe freezing wouldn't have been so bad.

            I gave up. I couldn't think of anything else to do. I stopped struggling and just lay there, still whimpering at the pain, trying to ignore the pool of blood forming around me, and ready for death to come and take me. Or at least waiting to pass out, neither of which happened. Figures.

            "MUSH!" 

            Blink? It couldn't be! I forced my eyes open just as I felt fingers struggling with the gag. It was Kid Blink alright, his face filled with concern and fury. As he took the gag out of my mouth, I got a good look at it.

            It was soaked with blood. I'd been coughing up blood this whole time and hadn't even realized it.

            "I'm sorry, Mush…Oh, God, I'm sorry…" he said as he worked at untying my ankles.

            "It..ain't your fault, Kid…" I whispered, scared at how my own voice sounded.

            "I shoulda been there for you. I nevah woulda let them near you." He insisted, carefully sliding the knife out of my pants, afraid of hurting me further.

            "I…just…"

            "I'm gonna untie your hands. Can ya sit up?"

            "I don't know."

            "I'll help ya."

            He gently reached my shoulders, supporting me as I tried- and failed- to move into a sitting up position. I was screaming with pain as he pulled up a barrel to prop me against, and he was mumbling apologies the whole time. I heard him gasp and then curse when he pulled the rope off my wrists- I could already feel the blood dripping down my fingers and onto the cement. He ripped two strips of fabric off his shirt and tied them around my wrists to try and stop the bleeding.

            "I'm gonna carry you back to da lodging house. You ain't in no shape ta be walkin'." He insisted, and though I protested at first, I knew he was right. He picked me up, trying to avoid spots that were especially sensitive, and began working his way down the stairs, cringing every time I took in a sharp breath or moaned at the pain. Once we were back on the street we found Itey and Specs, and we sent Itey to tell the others that Mush had been found and sent Specs running ahead to warn Kloppman. I wasn't exactly an easy burden for Blink to bear that far even though I was very underweight, and I reached up and locked my arms around his neck, holding on no matter how bad the pain got. There were a few times I thought I would black out, and only Blink's makeshift conversation kept me from doing so. 

            I borrowed Racetrack's bunk for now since Blink couldn't lift me onto my own bunk, which was up higher. And though I'd always complained about how uncomfortable the beds were, it now seemed like a blessing.

            But the pain? That was like torture. I felt like someone had lit a fire in every limb of my body and kept throwing wood on it to keep it burning. I couldn't even keep down bread and soup. Blink sat by my bed and gave me a sip of water whenever I wanted it, but I couldn't handle anything more. Not to mention he had to change the bandages on my wrist and chest every hour or so. Kloppman was worried about 'internal bleeding', but there wasn't anything we could do about that without calling a doctor. And none of us had the money for that. 

            That night, when everyone got back, Jack called a 'bunkroom meeting'. He was worried that those guys would go after another newsie, like they'd threatened me. So he made ground rules; no newsie sells alone (including Racetrack, who sulked about that point, but felt better when Skittery offered to go sell at Sheepshead with him) and alley shortcuts were off limits. They were to stay on the main streets no matter what. It would be harder to jump a newsie when we were in the middle of a busy street.

            The question was briefly brought up as to why they had gone after me specifically and not Jack. But nobody had the answer, and when us newsies don't have the answer to something, we get frustrated and tend to want to ignore it. I had the feeling that would end up being a big mistake, but I let it drop.

            And all the newsies chipped in what they could for Blink and me. Me, because of the obvious reasons that I couldn't be selling, and Blink because he insisted on staying in with me until I was in better condition to take care of myself. _The stupid bum, I thought. __He'll probably lose ten pounds watchin' me like dis and not sellin'._

            But that's what friends are for, I guess.

AN: Poor Mush! * Hugs her imaginary Mush * Blink will take care of him. I promise. Time to move on to our next newsie victim…sniff…and more clues! 


	3. Retaliation

AN: Alright, moving on to chapter 3. Thanks to all my reviewers…a small but devoted group so far…and keep reading!

Skittery

            "Lucky Seven not to compete in next race!" I shouted out, making my way among the crowds at the racetrack. Race was off making a bet, and I didn't feel like I had time to sit around and wait on him, so I continued selling. Luckily, there was a good story about a favorite horse that was dropping out, so selling at the tracks seemed to be a blessing in disguise.

            A man suddenly grabbed my elbow, and I spun to face him. "Would you like a paper, sir?" I asked, trying my best to look pitiful.

            "No. I want _you_."

            Another man seemed to appear out of nowhere and grabbed my other arm, and I was about to scream and struggle until I felt the muzzle of a gun press into my side. I automatically realized- these had to be the same goons that attacked Mush yesterday!

            They led me through the crowd, and even though I could see Race talking to a fellow gambler just twenty feet away, there wasn't any way I could alert him to my predicament without running the risk of getting shot. And before I knew it, I was being led onto a deserted dock with an old boat station shack on the end. They shoved me inside, closing the flimsy door as they followed me in.

            "So, they call you Skittery, huh?"

            I didn't answer. I wasn't about to answer any of their questions.

            "Let's see just how 'skittery' you are when we're done with you."

            A well aimed punch landed right in my stomach, and I dropped to the ground, gasping for air like a fish out of water. This was followed by a swift kick to the jaw that sent me flying back into a stack of wooden crates.

            I groaned but stood back up, and then I put up my fists. If they weren't gonna tie me up, I wasn't going down without a fight. 

            "Oh, so you want to fight back? Tony, take care of that."

            A gunshot shattered the air, and a blinding pain in my leg sent me to the floor once again. The bullet had hit just above my knee, and I was in agony by the time the man stepped forward and began kicking me in the ribs over and over.

            In the midst of the beating, he reached down and just tore my shirt open, hastily slashing a large 'X' across my chest. Just like we'd found on Mush. His calling card.

            After at least twenty more kicks and punches, they dragged me outside and just threw me off the dock. I was almost unconscious by then, and certainly not able to use my left leg.

            And for a moment, I considered just letting myself drown.

            _You selfish idiot.__ Think of Mush! He didn't give up, did he?!_

            I suddenly began fighting to get back to the surface, every struggle for air sending coursing pain through my whole body. I was only inches from the surface and I was quite certain that I wasn't going to make it when a hand grabbed onto my shirt and pulled me up.

            As soon as I broke the surface and coughed the water out of my lungs, I knew I was done for. I could practically feel death tugging at me, willing me to give up. Only one thing made me hesitate: Race's voice pleading with me as I was laid down on the shore.

            "Skittery, hang in there. We need you. Don't die on me, Skitts!"

            I let the darkness take me, and the whole world went black.

Racetrack

            "So I asked this guy if he'd seen Skittery, and he says dat a couple of guys took him out onto the docks a few minutes ago.  That didn't sound right ta me, so I ran all da way to the dock just in time to see 'em throw Skittery off into da water. They ran right past me, didn't even try ta stop me or nothin'. And I was too worried about Skitts ta follow 'em." I explained to everyone. 

            Kloppman was sitting by Skittery's bed- or rather, Snipeshooter's bed that he had given up since Skittery had the top bunk. Kloppman had told us that Skittery was gonna live, but by the way he was acting, we knew he was worried. We knew Skittery may die.

            "This is bullshit. They're pickin' us off, one by one!" Snitch said, his anger surprising us all. He usually didn't get this mad, or this loud.

            Jack suddenly turned to face Kloppman, his frustration shining through in his eyes. "Kloppman, tell us da truth. Is Skittery gonna die?"

            "If…if he makes it through tonight, yes. Tonight is going to be the night that decides it." Kloppman said with a sigh, brushing Skittery's hair back from his face. Skitts was just as pale as a sheet of paper, and he was feverish and shaking. It was scary to see a fellow newsie like this. Itey had passed out cold when I brought him in.

            "What are we gonna do, Jack?" Snipeshooter asked, his normally tough exterior fading away. Skittery was like a big brother to him- as unlikely as it seems, Snipes made a role model out of Skittery. And now he had to go through all this, maybe even watching Skittery die.

            "I don't know. We can't stop sellin'…we gotta make a livin'." Jack said, deep in thought.

            "We set a trap."

            Everyone turned to face Mush, who was sitting up in bed and looking a whole lot better than yesterday.

            "How are we gonna do that?"

            Mush thought for a moment, and then continued. "They attack when we're alone. What if we make it _look _like one of us is alone…but they really aren't?"

            I saw a smirk come onto Jack's face. "That's a great idea, Mush! They been jumpin' us, but we can try jumpin' them for once!"

            "But who's gonna be da bait?" I asked, and everyone fell silent. After what happened to Mush and Skittery, no one wanted to volunteer, even if they had newsies on all sides.

            "I'll do it."

            It figures Kid Blink would volunteer to do something like this. He was always up for a dare, even when we weren't even playing truth or dare. He looked around the room, determination set on his face. "I wanna get 'em back for what they done."

            "We all do, Blink. We all do." Dutchy said quietly as Skittery coughed violently for a few moments, and then went back to his irregular and shallow breathing. Kloppman looked like he just wanted to break down and cry, but I knew he wouldn't. Not in front of us, at least.

            "Who are these guys, anyway? What do they want from us?" Specs asked.

            "I have the feelin' dat this is about da strike. I think Pulitzer's gettin' his own 'private revenge' on us." Jack said.

            Somehow, we all knew he was right.

            And from that same instinct, I knew that Skittery would survive that night. Don't ask me how…I just knew. Call it a 'gambler's sixth sense'. I woulda bet my life savings on it.

            We stayed up late, taking shifts watching Skittery and plotting our trap for the next day.

AN: Time for a big scene in the next chapter! Stay tuned and review!


	4. Endings and Revenge

AN: Exciting ending ahead! Just read and review and enjoy the outcome!

Dutchy

            I was nervous. Well, who wouldn't be in that situation? Blink was practically handing himself over to these guys with a big red bow wrapped around him. Sure, Jack had borrowed a few slingshots from Spot's boys, and we knew how to use them, but what if they started shooting with real guns?

            At least Skittery had survived the night. Kloppman had been so worried that he had stayed awake by Skitts bedside the whole night, and it paid off. He still had a fever, but his condition was now going slowly uphill instead of downhill.

            I loaded my slingshot and got ready. I was on the roof of an old warehouse, ready to shoot anyone who came into 'Blink's' alley. I knew it wouldn't take them long to find him.

            After twenty minutes of waiting with Blink selling papers with his back to the alley, I was wondering if they were going to take the bait. The plan was that they would see their opportunity and drag him into the alley from behind. But so far, they hadn't shown their faces once.

            A hand clamped over my mouth from behind, and I kicked and struggled as hard as I could as I was dragged backward into the stairwell. I suddenly realized our mistake- in guarding Blink, we had split up. 

            And no one would have a chance to notice that one guard was missing.

            My strong assailant dragged me downstairs into a dark room, where another man was waiting. 

            "Thought you could outsmart us, right?" he asked, a chain wrapped around one of his hands. I didn't respond; I saw no reason to. He obviously didn't like my silence, because he punched me in the jaw, slamming me to the floor. "You kids have no brains. And when we're done with you, you'll be praying that you never see the light of day again."

            That was it. I was done with this shit. I leaped to my feet and attacked him, taking the first opportunity I saw and kneeing him in the groin. He doubled over, and I knew that the other one would be coming at me from behind.

            So, I ducked.

            It was almost like a cartoon. He had actually tried to tackle me in a flying leap, and ended up sailing right over my head and landing right on his partner. As they were trying to recover and detangle themselves from each other, I took off running and didn't look back. I took the same alley that we expected them to take, yelling to all the others on the roofs surrounding the alley to run. Then I grabbed Blink by the arm and dragged him away from the alley.

            I explained the whole thing to everyone when we got back to the lodging house, and ended up getting a lot of congratulations and slaps on the back. I sure didn't feel like a hero. All I did was run, and that was something that sure never got commended anytime else. I was a coward.

            "They saw our trap. They saw what we were going to do, and _they trapped _us._" I said, still angry at myself for not seeing it sooner. But I didn't get the words out for more than a moment before Specs rushed in, carrying a battered and bruised Itey in his arms. They had decided to sell today since they didn't have a part to play in our plan._

            "Is he okay?" Jack asked, gently helping Specs lay him down on the bed. Then they noticed the bruise on the side of Specs' face. "Did they get both of you?"

            "They attacked Itey, but they weren't discreet enough. I followed them and tried to fight 'em off. He's not hurt bad…they took off when they figured two of us were a little much."

            Jack laughed. "That's two times in one day. Dutchy here fought 'em off all by himself."

            "Really? Looks like they aren't invulnerable."

            "Invul…what?" Blink asked, scratching his head. The rest of us just laughed.

            "They have a weakness, Blink. They ain't gods." Racetrack said. 

            "I think I know why they aren't going after Jack." I said, the possibility suddenly popping into my head.

            "Why's that?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

            "You were our leader. And they want to make sure you have to watch all of us suffer before they come after you."

            "You're always…full of shit…like dat…Dutchy…"

            We all looked at Skittery's bunk in shock as his eyes slowly fluttered open, and then all of us shot for the bed at once, all of us amazed that he was already awake.

            "Hey, how ya feelin', Skitts?" Race asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

            "Like hell. Like…one of your…race horses jest ran ovah me."

            "Well, you'll be happy ta know that Dutchy and Specs beat up on those guys pretty bad today. They ain't getting' away with this without battle scars."

            "I'd like ta give 'em a few myself…"

            Yep. Skittery was gonna be just fine. No doubt about it.

Kid Blink

            We knew the plan would work this time. It _had _to. We couldn't have any more newsies getting attacked like this. And once again, I was bait.

            Did you expect anyone else?

            I walked down the street with Jack, hawkin' headlines at the top of my lungs and looking over my shoulder every so often. No sign of them.

            Good.

            "Jack, I think I'm gonna go sell across da street. Hawk to da ladies a bit." I said, and he gave me a reluctant look, but then shrugged and told me to 'keep an eye out'. Haha, Jack. Very funny.

            It happened just like we thought. As I passed the alley on the other side, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into the alley. I started to scream but a dirty, grimy hand locked itself over my mouth. I resorted to kicking and punching, but I never got a clear shot at him.

            "In here, in here!" I heard the other guy insist, and I gave a silent cry of victory as they pulled me into the darkened building and shoved me to the floor.

            "Say your last prayers, kid, cause I'm not so sure we're gonna give you the privilege of walking out of here alive." He said as he raised the knife in preparation to stab me.

            He froze dead when the door slammed shut, seemingly of its own accord. Then the lights snapped on, and no one was even near the chain, which was now swinging back and forth wildly. I stood up slowly, and both of them stared me down.

            "You might not want to make me mad, boys. I don't play fair." I hissed as the light flickered on and off. Then the lights went out completely and the window shades dropped, leaving the room in pitch darkness.

            I could hear their terrified screams, and I couldn't help but laugh as I listened to the scuffle. I knew that they were getting beaten up pretty good just by listening to the various curses and grunts.

            "Where is he? Where did he go?"

            "It's a demon! He's possessed, man!" One of them yelled, and then the lights came back on. Nobody was in the room now but me and the two men, who were now suffering from lots of cuts and bruises. They were staring at me now not with anger, but with fear and shock.

            "I'm getting out of here!" the bigger one yelled, sprinting for the door- but it wouldn't budge. The other man helped him pull, but that door wasn't going anywhere.

            "I didn't hear you say please." I whispered in a teasing, breathy tone. 

            "Please! Let us out, man! Come on!"

            I stepped forward, putting my hand on the door handle. "If you ever step foot near another newsie- ever…" The lights flickered. On, off. On, off. Then they stayed on. "I'll personally make your lives a living hell. _And _I am always watching. Don't you forget that._"_

            With that said, I gently tugged on the door, and it opened with ease. They stumbled out the door and headed straight for the street as fast as they could, never looking back once.

            "It's clear, guys." I said, and the trapdoors in the floor and walls opened up and Specs, Dutchy, Snipeshooter, Crutchy, Snoddy, and Snitch all climbed out.

            "Ah, the usefulness of clear thread." Snoddy said, rolling his thread back onto the reel.

            "I'll be surprised if they even stay in New York after all that. You even scared me, Kid!" Crutchy said, and we all laughed. 

            We walked back to the lodging house and told Mush, Itey, and Skittery what had happened, and they were quite amused. Even Kloppman laughed when we told him what we'd done. 

            It was enough for me that I'd had them pleading for their lives. Ah, sweet revenge.

            Take that, Pulitzer.

**The End**

AN: I'm really proud of this chapter, especially the part where Dutchy kicks some butt on those creeps and Blink scares them to death! And you know, I like the idea of Blink being presented to me wearing a big red bow. Yummy. Anyways……..please review, people! Thank you for reading, and I luv you guys!  


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